Ruling Grand Alliance member Janata Dal United (JDU) filed a case against Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant in a Patna court on Wednesday for his controversial remarks against migrant labourers from Bihar.

JDU member Manish Kumar Singh filed the case in the court of chief judicial magistrate seeking action against Sawant, accusing him of promoting enmity and hatred.

Singh has sought action against the Goa chief minister under IPC sections 153 (wanton or malignant provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence or language), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 384 (extortion), 500 (defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505(2) (statements promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

"The objectionable remarks by the Goa chief minister are intolerable. The BJP talks about nationalism, but its leaders, including chief ministers of the states ruled by it, make comments reeking of hatred against people hailing from other states. This is not good for the country and should be punished,” Singh told reporters.

"I have urged the court to take action against Sawant as his comments have hurt the sentiments of the people of Bihar and have tried to brand them as thieves,” Singh added.

Sawant courted controversy on Monday by saying that migrant labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other areas were responsible for around 90 per cent of the crimes in Goa.

Speaking at the Labour Day function at Panaji, Sawant urged the contractors and employers to obtain "labour cards" for the workers before employing them. The cards will be issued after enrolling the labourers and recording their details.

"The migrant labourers, after committing a crime in Goa, return to their state and it becomes difficult to locate them," Sawant said while stressing the need to keep their details.

Another ruling alliance member — the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) — also condemned Sawant's remarks and sought to know why the BJP was against the people of Bihar.

“Sawant has insulted Bihar and its people by his shameful statements. Why does the BJP or its leaders hate Bihar and its people? Why is it always negative or indifferent towards the demands of the state,” asked RJD leader and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Late on Wednesday, Sawant said his speech had been "twisted" and expressed regret if "any state or labourers from any state were hurt", PTI reported.